Subject: Proposal to MPEG-4

From: Steve Carson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 14:07:22 -0600

This is the text of our proposal to the MPEG-4 ad-hoc group made during the
meeting last week in Rennes. We made it clear that this is subject to
ratification by both the VRML Consortium and SC 24. At this point, it is
best to think of this proposal as background for understanding the final
plan and summary that I previously circulated. 

Over the next week or so I will be working with the leaders of the MPEG-4
BIFS and Systems ad-hoc groups to finalize a common position statement that
both groups can agree to. Please let me know if you want to participate in
the activity to craft this statement.

I will circulate the text of the proposal from MPEG-4 to SC24 and the VRML
Consortium tomorrow. I have only a paper copy at the moment.

- - -
Proposal from SC 24 and VRML Consortium
Wednesday afternoon, 25 Sept 1997

1. We believe that the VRML functional specification (or possibly a profile
of that specification) meets the requirements of MPEG-4. We are willing to
cooperate with SC 29/ WG 11 in a short ( 1 month or so) effort to determine
what the appropriate subset of VRML is, and to craft any necessary text for
the MPEG-4 CD to make a normative reference to the VRML standard.  This
represents a change from the previous VRML Consortium / SC 24 position.

2. We believe that the interoperability of implementations of standards as
well as the long term evolution of the standards themselves is unacceptably
compromised when the normative text of one standard is repeated within
another. Therefore, in accordance with long established and accepted
practices within ISO and IEC as well as the practices of the VRML
Consortium, and in accordance with International Copyright law, we cannot
accept an MPEG-4 specification that is a "derivative work" of the VRML
specification.  

3.  If it is necessary for the timely production of the MPEG-4 CD text, we
are willing to accept included text from VRML for the first CD only, with
the understanding that the MPEG-4 text will be modified as to either make a
normative reference as described in (1) or to re-write the text so that it
is no longer derived from VRML as described in (2) above, for the next
version (second CD or first DIS).  If the first CD is done in this manner,
then it shall contain a statement that the text will be modified as
described in either (1) or (2) above at the next revision.

4. If MPEG-4 is willing to (a) make normative reference to VRML as
described in (1) ; and (b) abide by the terms of the Cooperative Agreement
between the VRML Consortium and ISO and IEC, SC 24 will agree to open
future VRML work within ISO (including CD and DIS balloting) to include
equal participation from SC29. This means that ISO meetings and ballots on
VRML will be jointly conducted within the two subcommittees.

5. We are eager to cooperate with SC 29 /WG 11 so that MPEG and VRML may
each evolve wherever possible based on compatible concepts, syntax and
semantics.

Steve Carson
Chair, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 24
Computer Graphics and Image Processing
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Steve Carson                 phone:   +1-505-521-7399
GSC Associates Inc.          fax:     +1-505-521-9321
5272 Redman Road             e-mail:  [email-masked]
Las Cruces, NM 88011 USA
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